Christopher Barber

Austrian label ATS-Records proudly announces the release of Open Windows,Christopher Barber's new solo guitar CD. Barber, a native of upstate New York, is aguitarist, composer and music educator based in Vienna. His music is many-faceted andyet highly personal, bringing together a wealth of influences and experiences to make adistinctive artistic statement.

“I wanted to do a CD using only the nylon-string guitar. Years before I moved toEurope, when I was studying music in the USA, I learned classical guitar. Although I'veplayed all kinds of music, often using electric guitars, this instrument has remained mypreference,” comments Christopher Barber. “Open Windows focuses on my owncompositions. Most of the eleven tracks gravitate between worlds that are usually fencedin using categories like 'Jazz' or 'Classical'. But music flows like water, and it can just aswell be described with words like 'earthy' or 'conceptual'. I hope that the four pieces byother composers will help listeners as points of orientation.” Heitor Villa-Lobos andAntônio Carlos Jobim, both of whom have had a profound influence on Barber's musicand his approach to the guitar, are certainly familiar to anyone interested in the music ofBrazil. The Cuban Leo Brouwer – he recently celebrated his eightieth birthday and isstill going strong – creates works combining compositional rigor with a refreshingopenness to the sounds of our time. Finally, Sidney Bechet’s Petite Fleur pays homageto the great African-American musical heritage that Barber grew up with in the USA.

Open Windows is available on all major digital distribution platforms. Yetacquiring the lovingly produced CD is recommendable, especially on account of theinformative booklet text (English/German). Here Christopher Barber writes about hispersonal motivations, inspirations and experiences while shedding light on the culturesand traditions behind the music.“The pieces of music I love most are open windows – for the ears, for the mind.”